CLiViE project partners explore cultural literacy practices and experiences in Riga

Partners of the international Cultural Literacies’ Value in Europe (CLiViE) project met in Riga for a day of encounters, discussions and shared experiences exploring the role of culture, arts, education and creative practices in society. One of the stops was Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Faculty of Social Sciences, where the visitors learned about the work of RSU student media network Skaļāk and met the students and academic staff involved. 

CLiViE is an international research project exploring the value of cultural literacy and the role of arts-based education in strengthening social cohesion. The project examines how cultural literacies develop across different learning environments and how the outcomes and impact of arts-based education can be understood and assessed. RSU is one of the project’s international partners. 

The Riga visit was organised by RSU Social Sciences Research Centre as a Seeing Is Believing experience, an opportunity not simply to visit institutions, but to engage in conversations, exchange experiences and explore how cultural practices are connected to wider social processes. 

At the RSU Faculty of Social Sciences, the visiting partners were introduced to Skaļāk, RSU’s student media initiative, and its role in student engagement and the development of practical communication and media skills. The programme continued with a visit to ISSP, an exploration of the contemporary art exhibition Survival Kit at the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, and a final stop at the RSU Anatomy Museum. 

The conversations throughout the day touched on a wide range of issues – from photography and visual culture to arts education, care, sustainability, institutional change, and the role of cultural and non-governmental organisations in society. 

The exchange was particularly timely as the CLiViE project enters its final phase. Partners discussed the work still ahead and the ways in which the project's findings and experiences can contribute to a deeper understanding of cultural literacy and arts-based education in Europe. 

The Riga experience also highlighted an important dimension of cultural literacy: it is not an abstract concept, but something that is shaped through everyday experiences, education, media, art, institutions and the ways in which people engage with and make sense of a changing society. 

The RSU Faculty of Social Sciences thanks the CLiViE partners for visiting Riga, for the open conversations and for the opportunity to share experiences from RSU’s student media, research and social sciences environment. 

CLiViE is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 101132285) and runs until February 2027.